


Mano a Mano

by ShadowsOffense



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-25
Updated: 2013-08-25
Packaged: 2017-12-24 15:39:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/941666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsOffense/pseuds/ShadowsOffense
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Riddler's begins his day with a newspaper, coffee, and plotting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mano a Mano

**Un•u•su•al** _adj._  
1) Not usual, common, or ordinary.

Having cup of coffee and reading the morning newspapers was a habit of Nigma’s. Of course, in his case, it was less about learning the news and more about checking the score board, so to speak. Some reporters were better than others, of course, but most seldom fully understood what had really transpired. Still, he looked forward to it; normally, he found their little errors and misconceptions amusing. Not today. This morning’s paper crumpling in his hands, Nigma’s lips compressed into a flat line.

So much of what Nigma did came down to his word choice. His phrasing was precise, his diction exact, because one _letter_ could make all the difference in his little puzzles. One word changed everything. The crafting of his clues was as delicate an art as the planning of his crimes. Oh, sure, one might say they were not _strictly_ necessary, but one could also say the same of wealth (and therefore of his crimes)… or anything other than breathing and eating. Personally, Nigma considered breathing and eating to be necessary to _existing_ ; to _live_ was something else entirely. What was life without a little zest, after all? Word choice. To exist was the dark ages, to live, a renaissance. To live one needed a certain element of style. After all, the greatest civilizations were known for their art and the Riddler was an artist. Even considering the other similarly minded criminals in Gotham, he was a man without peers, for none of his costumed colleagues could tease and torture Batman’s mind the way he could. Nigma scowled down at the mangled paper. This reporter was not merely misguided, but they were not fully to blame either. He would have to take care of this, personally. It was insulting. Although, it was not necessary a problem, as he could think of a number of quick, inelegant fixes. None of them appealed, however. This type of vexing situation required a singularly artistic solution.

For a man without peers to have suddenly acquired one… it was, indeed, a most vexing situation.

Nigma gently un-crumpled the paper and neatly refolded it. Carefully, he placed it on the table and sat back in his chair. It was not as if that _charlatan_ was a true peer. He left his clues like he was setting up a child’s scavenger hunt, and for the Batman, no less! There was no mystery, no craftsmanship, in his heavy handed methods. Which made the associating between them all the more degrading. It was intolerable. Yet…

Yet, if the Cluemaster wished to be considered a peer, perhaps Nigma should treat him as one. A contest then. Unfair, perhaps even a little cruel with his opponent so hopelessly out classed, but there would be no more headlines like today’s. And, perhaps, there would be no one with whom to share them, either. A game of wits.

Nigma smiled, absently smoothing the paper slightly. Glancing down at it, he frowned again and threw it into the fireplace.

The best man _would_ win and then there would be no doubt to whom the title of “master” truly belonged.

**U•nique** _adj._  
1) One of a kind.


End file.
